2025 5* QB Deuce Knight (Notre Dame)

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

5 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

He's gotta be weighing the options OM/AU ~ Kiffin/Freeze ~ current program trajectory ~ NIL support ~ player development system ~ production of offensive scheme ~ established staff ~ current standing within the conference ~ future direction of the program.  ⚖️

If I’m a high school QB I’m playing for Kiffin 10/10. Hugh has a chance to fix that if he can win some games. But you’d have to be smoking crack to put your future on this dumpster fire right now.

[JerryAU 1,892]

5 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

If I’m a high school QB I’m playing for Kiffin 10/10. Hugh has a chance to fix that if he can win some games. But you’d have to be smoking crack to put your future on this dumpster fire right now.

It's a business decision, you're planning for your athletic future and potential NFL path.  Even with my O&B glasses on, I can easily see the pros/cons laid out in black & white. 

[ellitor 33,884]

3 hours ago, TAYLORKEETON said:

but what do YOU think E?

 

Your input holds weight 

@TAYLORKEETON Not sure. I'm just passing on the info & doing 1 tea leave scenario.

[Gowebb11 9,945]

30 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

He's gotta be weighing the options OM/AU ~ Kiffin/Freeze ~ current program trajectory ~ NIL support ~ player development system ~ production of offensive scheme ~ established staff ~ current standing within the conference ~ future direction of the program.  ⚖️

If he’s doing that it’s Ole Miss. Kiffin took over a program decimated by probation, and in his second season won 10 games. Now contending for a playoff spot. And on pace to have double digit wins in 3/4 seasons. Something AU hasn’t done some the 80s. People can question Kiffin on a lot of things but his process is working and his offenses excite and attract top players. 

[JerryAU 1,892]

3 minutes ago, Gowebb11 said:

If he’s doing that it’s Ole Miss. Kiffin took over a program decimated by probation, and in his second season won 10 games. Now contending for a playoff spot. And on pace to have double digit wins in 3/4 seasons. Something AU hasn’t done some the 80s. People can question Kiffin on a lot of things but his process is working and his offenses excite and attract top players. 

Kiffin trolls the hell out of others (may have taken a shot at Hugh today relative to managing QB's), but his process of picking up experienced portal players seems to be paying off.  I can't even remember the last time Auburn strung together back to back 10-win seasons, or even b2b 9-win seasons. 

[Hank2020 3,381]

32 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

If I’m a high school QB I’m playing for Kiffin 10/10. Hugh has a chance to fix that if he can win some games. But you’d have to be smoking crack to put your future on this dumpster fire right now.

The only reason is QB play. Even RB play could be handled if decent QB play. He has missed badly so far but that is the only teal gap that has hurt usIMO.

Edited Tuesday at 09:42 PM by Hank2020

[ellitor 33,884]

39 minutes ago, jluvah said:

Freeze/ Malzahn. What’s the difference 

Freeze is recruiting at a much better level across the board at nearly every position. That being said, our roster was horendous when Hugh took over & is still pretty bad in a number of places so it will take more time to pass Gus's standard 8-6 output.

42 minutes ago, jluvah said:

We must not have the “bank” that other schools have, no matter what is said on this site

It's building & is expected now to be big enough to make waves in the 2025 class & in the portal.

[jluvah 725]

4 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Freeze is recruiting at a much better level across the board at nearly every position. That being said, our roster was horendous when Hugh took over & is still pretty bad in a number of places so it will take more time to pass Gus's standard 8-6 output.

It's building & is expected now to be big enough to make waves in the 2025 class & in the portal.

But @ellitor , all I hear on the board here is “we’re more talented than Arkansas, we’re more talented than Cal.” And since NIL started, “ Auburn’s  got the money”. Now I’m hearing the opposite. How on earth can we pay the head coach, and the ex-coaches we are still paying, these exorbitant wages?And not be able to pay for even a productive qb?Most of that money and NIL money is coming from the same core group of people, I’d assume. And they are still giving to NIL? God bless ‘em, that’s all I can say

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

14 minutes ago, ellitor said:

Freeze is recruiting at a much better level across the board at nearly every position. That being said, our roster was horendous when Hugh took over & is still pretty bad in a number of places so it will take more time to pass Gus's standard 8-6 output.

 

One thing people don’t give Gus enough credit for that I haven’t seen since he left is that his players played their asses off for him. They loved him and were by his side until the bitter end. His teams also did their thing when the game was on the line, at a much higher rate. They found a way to win. 

[Gowebb11 9,945]

24 minutes ago, JerryAU said:

Kiffin trolls the hell out of others (may have taken a shot at Hugh today relative to managing QB's), but his process of picking up experienced portal players seems to be paying off.  I can't even remember the last time Auburn strung together back to back 10-win seasons, or even b2b 9-win seasons. 

I can help: AU last had back to back 10 win seasons in 88-89. A long thirty five years ago. Hard to believe. 

[I_M4_AU 8,978]

3 hours ago, ellitor said:

@I_M4_AU Freeze, not the money people. Not sure we had enough NIL at the time to pay for a mercenary and a great 2024 class. Freeze chose the 2024 class.

So, just like any other business decisions are made on available funds.  It will become very interesting this off season, after our class comes in and the portal players leave, to see the decision made for next year.  Auburn will not be alone in that dilemma 

[ellitor 33,884]

38 minutes ago, jluvah said:

all I hear on the board here is “we’re more talented than Arkansas, we’re more talented than Cal.”

We are. We outgained Arky by over 100 yards. We don't turn over the ball we win both games.

40 minutes ago, jluvah said:

Now I’m hearing the opposite

What reputable source is saying that?

42 minutes ago, jluvah said:

And not be able to pay for even a productive qb?

We paid for Thorne. He was an evaluation miss.

44 minutes ago, jluvah said:

And they are still giving to NIL?

Cuz they believe in the long term plan, at least for now.

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,091]

1 hour ago, TitanTiger said:

Michigan State didn't have an incredible offense in 2021 around Thorne.  They had a very good offense but it wasn't uber talented.  Keon Coleman (WR) is now in the NFL.  Kenneth Walker (RB) was probably the best RB in the country that year and was drafted in the 2nd round.  Other than that, one WR went in the 6th and one OL went in the 7th round.

Yep...no Jayden Reed who had 1026 yards for that team that season and is currently a WR1/2 with the Green Bay Packers (and was also drafted in the 2nd round)...not like he was on that team....

[Dual-Threat Rigby 9,091]

Michigan State had such a good offense around Thorne that a guy with 10 touchdowns and 1000+ yards in one season was just forgotten about. He never had a chance of replicating half of that here in Auburn. 

Edit: I will say that if Auburn had an offense that had four NFL draft picks at WR/TE (Jalen Nailor and Connor Heyward were also drafted) and the best RB in the sport, I do think Hugh would've been right that he could've put Thorne or ANYONE back there and probably been okay. But we weren't replicating that in the beginning of a rebuild. 

I also just want to mention that my original post said that he had an easier situation before he came here, not just a better offense. His 2021 season featured 3 at the time ranked regular season games, and one of the three was Miami who ended up 7-5. I'm pretty sure there's at least 1, if not 2 months last season where he played 3 ranked teams alone. 

Edited Tuesday at 10:50 PM by Dual-Threat Rigby

[Bro Johnny Mac 1,474]

3 hours ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

If I’m a high school QB I’m playing for Kiffin 10/10. Hugh has a chance to fix that if he can win some games. But you’d have to be smoking crack to put your future on this dumpster fire right now.

I’m glad you’re not a crack smoking high school QB....

😎

[NWALA Tiger 3,695]

Saw where he is visiting ND in 3 weeks

[Cardin Drake 2,085]

It would be a good investment for Hugh Freeze to spend a couple of million for a tier 1 QB in the portal even if it came out of his own salary. He can afford it, and his seat is going to get a little warm next year if we don't have one. 

[AuCivilEng1 12,293]

6 minutes ago, Cardin Drake said:

It would be a good investment for Hugh Freeze to spend a couple of million for a tier 1 QB in the portal even if it came out of his own salary. He can afford it, and his seat is going to get a little warm next year if we don't have one. 

I’ve been advocating for this. He could make a ridiculous donation through OTV and rack up players. Then when……if he starts winning and getting raises, it will have been a sound investment.

Put your money where your mouth is!!

[AUwent 3,841]

7 hours ago, TitanTiger said:

Tom Loy seems to think if Deuce doesn't make up his mind this weekend, we will politely move on, and circle back and go all in on JuJu.

Very conflicting. Echoing E’s comment earlier today, Juju would definitely be way pricier than Deuce, so idk how hard we could go in the portal.

[Cardin Drake 2,085]

30 minutes ago, AuCivilEng1 said:

I’ve been advocating for this. He could make a ridiculous donation through OTV and rack up players. Then when……if he starts winning and getting raises, it will have been a sound investment.

Put your money where your mouth is!!

Who knows, maybe he is...

[ellitor 33,884]

1 hour ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Saw where he is visiting ND in 3 weeks

I can't find confirmation of that. Closest thing I could find is ND staff hopes he will be there. But if he is not committed to them at that point, it would be unlikely he visits.

[ellitor 33,884]

1 hour ago, AUwent said:

Very conflicting. Echoing E’s comment earlier today, Juju would definitely be way pricier than Deuce, so idk how hard we could go in the portal.

@AUwent We supposedly have the money to do both now. Whether Freeze chooses to remains to be seen.

[NWALA Tiger 3,695]

25 minutes ago, ellitor said:

@AUwent We supposedly have the money to do both now. Whether Freeze chooses to remains to be seen.

Just saw something interesting. Saying Juju Dad is reaching out to AU. That was a quote from a relative(father) of a very highly recruited player in Alabama.

Edited Wednesday at 03:05 AM by NWALA Tiger

[jluvah 725]

11 minutes ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Just saw something interesting. Saying Juju Dad is reaching out to AU. That was a quote from a relative(maybe father?) of a very highly recruited player in Alabama.

Okay. Somebody with real knowledge tell me. Is Juju elite? Need to know so when he signs with us and “ can’t learn the playbook well enough to see the field”, I can remember he was “ elite”.

[ellitor 33,884]

1 hour ago, NWALA Tiger said:

Just saw something interesting. Saying Juju Dad is reaching out to AU. That was a quote from a relative(father) of a very highly recruited player in Alabama.

Wouldn't be the 1st time. He's reached out a number of times the past few months. Not sure about now but the times he reached out before the Cal game Hugh wouldn't listen. We thought til that point with very high confidence that we had Deuce.